Monty Python's Life Of Brian DVD

Advantages: Priceless comedy
Disadvantages: Ignorant reactionary backlash

...best in the world. And Monty Python's Flying Circus, the surreal brainchild of a bunch of Oxbridge graduates, is frequently hailed as its finest hour. And then, in more than one interview, John Cleese says that Life of Brian is the thing he wants to be remembered for when he dies. So, it follows that this film must be the funniest thing ever made. And, for once, this is true. Life of Brian is an utterly and consistently brilliant film from its Bond ...
...the writing that often dominated Monty Python's television incarnation (let's be honest, a lot of it was rubbish) is jettisoned for a remarkably tightly-structured narrative. The regular Python cast of Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam are running around brilliantly-shot locations in Tunisia, having nicked someone else's film set. Stock footage and crowd scenes from other Biblical epics are skillfully ... Read review

Advantages: A hilariously funny film
Disadvantages: Some might still find it offensive

...first time I ever saw Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) was when Channel 4 showed it as part of their banned season when I was at school (it would have been late 80s/early 90s). I sneaked a video tape in to the machine to record it as coming from a very Christian family I didn't want to upset anyone but I really wanted to see what all the fuss was about and if this film really did contain all the blasphemous content that had earned it a ban. Imagine ...
...Unlike their previous film Monty Python and The Holy Grail where each of the main characters has a section of the film to themselves, this film follows events and scenes which either include or directly involve Brian and it is this focus on the central character that stops this film from becoming a series of silly/funny episodes. The scenes and scenarios are beautifully crafted with the majority of the humour coming from exaggerations of everyday ... Read review

Advantages: The Pythons' finest hour. The funniest film of all time?
Disadvantages: None basically.

...this is a more polished Monty Python production. This initial impression is sustained throughout the entire film, which is why it is so remarkable because even at their funniest, the Monty Python team were guilty of inconsisitencies in the quality of their comedy. If you were to compare 'The Life of Brian' with the generally excellent 'Holy Grail', for example, there are some notably weaker sequences in the latter, a fault that is avoided here. The ...
...a brief history of the Monty Python phenomenon as well as the individual projects of each member. The intelligence of each performer makes for an interesting programme and also makes you wonder how such clever men can produce such anarchic characters and humour which is often extremely childish but so funny. OVERALL This film does contain bad language and themes that some may find offensive, but taken in the correct ... Read review

Advantages: Cleese, Palin
Disadvantages: None, absolutely none

Brian or Jesus or a Comedy of Christ – More than just funny its sacrilegious = Circa 1979 Tunisia, aka Judea 0 AD. A star is above Bethlehem, and it is bringing three wise men to find their messiah, the king of kings. Immediately I am on rocky ground as a non believer, as I delve into my shaky religious past and teachings. To date [1min] though the plot seems to follow accepted biblical historic ...
...they meet the ever so glam mum of the new born king. The elegancy of the new king’s mum, steals your imagination, and the baby well we all now the bible story, it is of course, “Brian”. This is a highly satirical and scathing depiction of religion attacking the Christian belief right to its core. We see the magic of the Pythons at its very best as they pop up at every turn, as Romans, Judeans and Trotskyite Disciples of Jesus, aka the PFJ (Peoples ... Read review

Advantages: v funny
Disadvantages: not for faint-hearted church goers

Yes, in amongst the biting anti-religious satire there are moments of pure hilarity. A lot of comedy is based on poking fun at the dis-advantanged and giving Pontius Pilate and his pal Biggus Dickus contrasting speech impediments had the crowds of townspeople (and us) in fits of laughter. I still can't read a line from another play with the phrase "release so-and-so" without this line coming to mind. When I first saw the film I wasn't sure what ...
...can really appreciate the inanity of religion that the film puts over. As has been pointed out in at least one other review a lot of Python is just plain silly. Most of this film was finely crafted, even the Pontius Pilate/Biggus Dickus bits. I guess the silliest moment is the alien 'taxi-cab' which arrives in the nick of time to save Brian from falling to his doom.(cue Stars Wars-like music). Rather than reiterate the whole plot here some selected ... Read review